Valley News from Van Nuys, California • Page 40

Page 4 Section 4 VALLEY NEWS Wednesday, December 7,1977 Toby Zwlkel Vilas finishing banner year Guillermo Vilas is going to be sorry to see 1977 come to an end. The 25-year-old Argentinian tennis player-poet has earned more than $400,000 in tournament prize money, has clinched the $300,000 first prize in the Grand Prix bonus pool and could claim another $100,000 should he win the Masters tournament at Madison Square Garden next month. During one stretch, Vilas won 51 straight matches, a record for the 10-year history of "Open" tennis, beginning at the Austrian championships and ending with a default to Hie Nastase, who was using a later-declared-illegal double-strung racquet, at a tournament in Aix-en-Provence, France. While the money is nice, Vilas, a thoughtful young man who often concerns himself with other things, probably gained more joy from his triumph over Jimmy Connors for the U.S. Open crown.

His fondness for poetry well documented (he has Ion Tiriac, a former Romanian Davis Cupper in whose hands Vilas placed his fate after performing poorly on clay in the Italian Open, also testified to his young protege's willingness to practice. "Best worker," said Tiriac, whose appearance reminds one of a Transylvanian horror show star. "He does not have the talent of someone like Nastase, but does this matter? "There are so many things that must happen for you to be a great player. You must put talent with work, intelligence with Craftsmanship, control of nerves with patience. So many things.

But you must be willing to work and work. Vilas does this." Vilas' decision to seek out Tiriac's aid was not a pupularone, at first, in Argentina. "They thought it was funny every time I lost," Vilas said. "Now I don't think they laugh so much." But Guillermo Vilas is laughing. All the way to the bank.

Australian duo tops prize list CINCINNATI (UPI) -Veteran Australian tennis stars Rex Hartwig, 48, and Frank Sedgman, 50, topped the final 1977 prize winnings on the Tennis Grand Masters tour, it was announced Tuesday. Hartwig won $38,410 and Sedgman collected $36,390 on the tour restricted to tennis stars at least 45 years of age. Torben Ulrich was third with $31,575, followed by Pancho Gonzalez with $24,915 and Sven Davidson with $18,960. Focus on TENNIS had a book on poetry and prose published in his homeland), Vilas also has enjoyed a life-long love of soccer and the beach and already has indicated he may not play Wimbledon in 1978 because it conflicts with the World Cup, which will be held in Buenos Aires. In fact, were it not for his father, president of the Club Nautico in his hometown of Mar del Plata (Sea of Silver), Vilas might never have embarked on his journey to international tennis stardom.

"My father did not like soccer," Vilas told a World Tennis magazine interviewer in 1975, "because we were playing soccer in the street always when I was a boy. He did not like me playing soccer in the streets. "Finally, he said, 'you play tennis or nothing Vilas' thoughts in that 1975 interview seemed to hint of his plan to take some time off next summer. "Summers are very important to me," he said. "It is the only time I can play soccer with my friends on the beachts in Buenos Aires." To those who blanch when he says that and feel it reflects a lack of desire on his part, Vilas has a very simple, but hard to dispute, reply.

"You have not seen the beaches in Buenos Aires," he said. No doubt Vilas has explored many beaches during the course of his global travels which he enjoys. "I like to travel, but not stay in one place too long," he said, treasuring his anonymity. "It is okay to be known. But it is nothing I die for." Success has not changed the 5 ft.ll 165-poun- der, who wears his long wavy hair in a head band when playing.

"It all hasn't got to him yet," said a competitor- friend. "He hasn't been sucked in by all the phoniness of this life." Like Brian Gottfried, Vilas is known for his dedication to his game. "I would work all the hours of the day," he said of his younger days. "There was something special that happened to me when I stepped onto the court, something that happens still to me. Someone tries to beat you and you try to beat him." Vilas snares South African Open by downing Mottram JOHANNESBURG (UPI) Top-seeded Guillermo Vilas Tuesday defeated Buster Mottram, 6-4, Tuesday to win the South African Open.

Vilas, the U.S. Open winner from Argentina, earned the $20,750 first prize. The sixth-seeded Mottram received $10,000. Mottram, of Great Britain, lacked the finesse to cope with Vilas, who mixed power play with clever lobs. Vilas alternated between baseline rallies and rushing the net Mottram led 3-0 in the first set tiebreaker before Vilas won the next seven points to take the set.

Teacher taught a lesson ADELAIDE, Australia (UPI) Roscoe Tanner Tuesday needed a pressure-packed third- set victory over Brian Teacher to survive the opening round of the $100,000 tennis classic at Memorial Drive Courts in Adelaide. Tanner, chasing points to make the final eight for the rich Masters playoff in New York early in January, defeated Teacher, "I feel like I've just won the tournament," said Tanner, referring to the intensity of the match. Tanner is currently ninth on the Masters points list, but with good results in the three Australian events, he's hopeful of finishing in fourth or fifth position. Teacher, from southern California, survived seven match points before finally surrendering. U.S.

stars may skip Davis Cup ADELAIDE, Australia (UPI) Top American tennis players are threatening not to play for the United States Davis Cup team next year. The United States, one of the world's strongest tennis playing nations, will be a favorite to win owned by Australia, unless some of the better players refuse to participate. Roscoe Tanner said Tuesday after his victory over Brian Teacher in the Australian Tennis Classic he and his teammates were having second thoughts about the Davis Cup. BRUNSWICK'S CHRISTMAS SUPER SAYINGS! CHOOSE FROM DIFFERENT COLORS MNSALl BY BRUNSWICK KfO. 349.95 LIMITED TIME ONLY! BRUNSWICK'S NEWEST 8 FT.

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